Comparison of satellite buses


This page includes a list of satellite buses, of which multiple similar artificial satellites have been, or are being, built to the same model of structural frame, propulsion, spacecraft power and intra-spacecraft communication. Only commercially available buses are included, thus excluding series-produced proprietary satellites operated only by their makers.

Satellite buses

Satellite busOriginManufacturerMaximum
Satellite Payload Mass
Total Mass
Price
LaunchedStatusFirst flightLast flightComment
A2100United StatesLockheed Martin56Operational19962019GEO
AlphabusFranceThales Alenia and EADS Astrium6550 kg1Operational2013Alphabus
AMOS (original)IsraelIAI20003Retired2008GEO
AMOS-4000IsraelIAI55001Operational2013GEO
AprizeUnited StatesSpaceQuest, Ltd.13 kg1.252Operational20022014
ARSAT-3KArgentinaINVAP1902Operational20142015GEO
ATK 100United StatesATK Space Systems and Services15 kg77 kg5Operational20072007used in THEMIS constellation only
ATK 200United StatesATK Space Systems and Services200 kg573 kg3Operational20002012Formerly named, "Responsive Space Modular Bus";scaled-down ATK 150 option is also available
ATK 500United StatesATK Space Systems and Services500 kg0Development2015MEO/GEO/HEO/GSO; formerly named, "High End Modular Bus"; planned for DARPA Phoenix
ATK 700United StatesATK Space Systems and Services1700 kg0DevelopmentGEO/LEO/MEO/HEO/GTO; ViviSat
Ball Configurable Platform 100United StatesBall Aerospace70 kg180 kg3Operational1994BCP 100
Ball Configurable Platform 300United StatesBall Aerospace750 kg3Operational19992009-
Ball Configurable Platform 2000United StatesBall Aerospace2200 kg5Operational19992011
Ball Configurable Platform 5000United StatesBall Aerospace2800 kg3Operational20072014Used by all WorldView satellites
Boeing 601United StatesBoeing Satellite Development Center75Operational199320144.8 kW standard, 10 kW for Boeing 601HP
Boeing 702United StatesBoeing Satellite Development Center47Operational19992019power range 3–18 kW in four sub-models
TubeSat KitUnited StatesInterorbital Systems kg kg0.0080DevelopmentLEO
CubeSat KitUnited StatesPumpkin Inc. kg3 kg0.19423Operational20072012LEO;
CubeSat GOMXDenmarkGomSpace kg3 kg1Operational20132013LEO;
DFH-3ChinaChina Academy of Space Technology230 kg – 450 kg2320 kg – 3800 kg47Operational19942020
DFH-4ChinaChina Academy of Space Technology800 kg – 1000 kg5100 kg – 5300 kg41Operational20062022
DFH-5ChinaChina Academy of Space Technology1200 kg – 2200 kg6500 kg – 9000 kg41Operational20172022
DS2000JapanMELCO5800 kg9Operational2015GEO
EurostarFrance, United Kingdom,Airbus (former EADS Astrium)6400 kg76Operational19902019GEO, models E1000,E2000,E2000+,E3000
HS-333United StatesHughes Space and Communications54 kg560 kg8Retired19721979GEO; first satellite series; 300 watt, 12-channel, single-antenna
HS-376United StatesHughes Space and Communications1450 kg58Retired19782003GEO
HS-393United StatesHughes Space and Communications2478 kg3Retired19851990GEO
I-1KIndiaISRO1425 kg4Operational20022014
I-2KIndiaISRO1400 kg2800 kg20Operational19922014DC power up to 3KW
I-3KIndiaISRO3460 kg5Operational20052012DC power up to 6.5KW
I-4KIndiaISRO4000 kg – 5000 kg0Development2014DC power up to 13KW
I-6KIndiaISRO5,000 kg – 6,500 kg1Operational20182018DC power up to 15KW
IMS 1IndiaISRO30 kg100 kg2Operational20082011220 W power
IMS 2IndiaISRO200 kg450 kg1Operational20132013800 W power
PSLV Orbital Experiment ModuleIndiaISRO30 kg930 kg4Operational20222024200 - 500 W power
SSL 1300United StatesSSL (company)–6,700 kg 118Operational19842017GEO; previously named the LS-1300
Modular Common Spacecraft BusUnited StatesNASA Ames Research Center50 kg383+ kg4.01Operational2013 LADEELow-cost interplanetary bus.
PhotonUnited StatesRocket Lab170 kg2Development2020LEO, SSO and interplanetary versions. First operational mission, NASA's CAPSTONE mission occurred in June 2022.
RS-300United StatesBall Aerospace125+ kg2Operational
RS-300
SI-100KoreaSatrec100 kg0DevelopmentSI-100
SI-200KoreaSatrec200 kg1Operational20092009copy of RazakSAT, used in DubaiSat-1
SI-300KoreaSatrec300 kg2Operational20132014SI-200 with larger battery, used for Deimos-2 and DubaiSat-2
SNC-100United StatesSNC Space Systems100 kg–172 kg116 kg-277 kg9Operational2006SNC-100A, SNC-100B, SNC-100C, Trailblazer was lost in launch failure
SNC-100-L1United StatesSNC Space Systems100 kg0DevelopmentOptimized for LauncherOne
Spacebus 100FranceAerospatiale1170 kg3Unknown19811981GEO
Spacebus 300FranceAerospatiale2100 kg 5Retired19871990GEO
Spacebus 2000FranceAerospatiale1900 kg 11Retired19901998GEO
Spacebus 3000FranceAerospatiale2800-3200 kg 27Operational19962010GEO
Spacebus 4000FranceAlcatel Space – Thales Alenia Space3000-5700 kg 33Operational20052019GEO
STAR-1United StatesOrbital Sciences1Retired19972001GEO
STAR-2 United StatesOrbital Sciences500 kg3325 kg33Operational20022013GEO, 5550 W
GEOStar-3United StatesOrbital Sciences800 kg5000 kg0DevelopmentGEO, 8000 W
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology30 kg70 kg16Retired19922001
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology15 kg100 kg10.08Operational20032012
SSTL-100LOUnited KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology100 kg0DevelopmentOptimized for LauncherOne
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology50 kg177 kg16.511Operational20052014
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology150 kg300 kg23.51Operational20112011
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology400 kg1Retired19991999
United KingdomSurrey Satellite Technology200 kg600 kg36.01Operational20052005

Legend for abbreviations in the table: